Connected Leadership

Development Program

Validated tools such as “The Leadership Impact Index” have shown significant correlation between the behaviors of leadership and the likelihood of burnout and satisfaction among healthcare workers. The studies found that the behavior of an individual’s direct supervisor was the single largest driver of professional satisfaction, more so than the organization’s culture, high-level organizational strategy, salaries, benefits, efficiency of the practice environment, or the impact of the electronic health record.

In one study using multivariate analysis adjusting for age, sex, duration of employment, and specialty, each 1-point increase in composite leadership score was associated with a 3.3% decrease in the likelihood of burnout and a 9.0% increase in the likelihood of satisfaction of those supervised. Furthermore, burnout, professional fulfillment, and self-care practices of physician leaders have been associated with their independently assessed leadership effectiveness. In longitudinal study, these relationships persist 2 years later.

Meanwhile, clinical leaders do not routinely receive standardized leadership training or assessment and feedback, and often feel left to learn these "people leadership" competencies on the fly by trial and error. A deliberate approach to support leaders in their own well-being and to hone their "people leadership" skills is an important piece of an organizational approach to improving well-being for our clinicians and staff overall.

Inspired by these data and the article Wellness Centered Leadership: Equipping Health Care Leaders to Cultivate Physician Well-Being and Professional Fulfillment by Tait Shanafelt, et. al., we are launching a pilot program called Connected Leadership: Developing Yourself to Support a Culture of Well-being.

Applications are now open for clinical leaders in School of Medicine departments at the level of Site Chief, Chief of Service, Division Chief, Vice Chair, Associate Chair, Section Chief, Medical Director, Chair or equivalent role across any clinical site (UCSF Health, SFVA, ZSFG).

Leaders may self nominate using this link or be nominated by their Department Chair by March 30th, 2023.

The program emphasizes personal awareness through anonymous feedback from people in one's group and development of competencies and skills tailored to one's individual data. Participants will access 1 of 3 different interventions (self directed, 1:1 coaching, or a group cohort experience) in this pilot program starting in July 2023. Applicants will be notified by the end of April regarding participation in the program.

You may be asked to provide anonymous feedback to those who participate in the program in the next few months, and we hope you will take time to do so.

Questions may be directed to Diane.Sliwka@ucsf.edu.

Thank you to Starr Knight, Josue Zapata, Maria Estrada, Larissa Thomas, and Liz Rogers for helping to design this initiative. Thank you also the office of the EVCP and School of Medicine leadership for supporting this with strategic initiative funds.